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I've defected to Slacker Radio after the merger, prior to that I had XM for five years. From what I understood about reduction of playlist depth to sound quality post-merger, the only scenario which I would come back would be for the radio shows. However, most of which I listen to already have podcasts.

When it was switched to SonicTap I said I do not care. Now that it is being switched back I still say I do not care.

How many actually listen to music through their TV provider? I have XM and do not need to listen to it through my TV. I can listen to it online and get many more channel choices.

Some folks have their audio system connected to the DirecTV reciever. I would have to guess there are far fewer people who have an internet connected device setup in their main viewing area just to listen to music. For some, it is a big deal.

Some folks have their audio system connected to the DirecTV reciever. I would have to guess there are far fewer people who have an internet connected device setup in their main viewing area just to listen to music. For some, it is a big deal.

Quite a few have their DVR connected to the Internet, I sometimes wonder how many do actually now that DirecTV is pushing it.

I listen to Pandora. It's miles better than Sonic, Sirius/XM, or any other of those crap providers they pay big money for. Directv should just ditch the music and save a ton of bandwidth.

Some folks have their audio system connected to the DirecTV reciever. I would have to guess there are far fewer people who have an internet connected device setup in their main viewing area just to listen to music. For some, it is a big deal.

Quite a few have their DVR connected to the Internet, I sometimes wonder how many do actually now that DirecTV is pushing it.

The Pandora app on D* is great. I use that all the time and my HDDVR is connected to my audio receiver. I also have a SiriusXM subscription which I also listen to just as much. Here is a thought. I wonder if D* will ever give us a SiriusXM app just as they do with Pandora in the extras menu. That way those that have an SXM internet subscription can use their D* receiver to push through to their audio systems.

I listen to Pandora. It's miles better than Sonic, Sirius/XM, or any other of those crap providers they pay big money for. Directv should just ditch the music and save a ton of bandwidth.

Music takes virtually no bandwidth. I know SiriusXM is using 128 Kbit/s per channel for music and 64 Kbit/s per channel for talk-radio/sports. Assuming DirecTV would only carry the music bits, if they were to carry about 60 channels (which I think is more or less what they have now too with Sonic), it would take up roughly the same bandwidth as 1 HD channel.

More importantly, they can put the music channels on satellites that aren't used for HD bandwidth, so in the end it really doesn't cost a whole lot, and it wouldn't take away bandwidth to provide HD channels to customers.

I personally love the music channels. I use it all the time with parties. As a matter of fact, I have three receivers, and usually my entire house is open when we have a party, so I just tune in all receivers to the same music channel, and off we go. (Only downside I have found is that the DVR will switch channels when you have 2 recordings at the same time, but I can live with that, just manage the recordings for that night before the party).

It is completely in sync in every room as well, something you won't be able to do with an internet-connected service like pandora, because each device buffers a number of seconds in to memory before it starts playing. Even within the same house and on the same internet connection, it is pretty much impossible to get e.g. your kitchen receiver and livingroom receiver in sync with each other using Pandora, or any internet-based streaming service for that matter.

I like the Sonic Tap music selection as well, but would not be opposed at all to SiriusXM. I have that in 1 of our cars.

[Disclaimer] The definition of "soon" is based solely on DirecTV's interpretation of the word, and all similarities with dictionary definitions of the word "soon" are purely coincidental and should not be interpreted as a time frame that will come to pass within a reasonable amount of time.

I have no interest in the music channels. I have an iPad with the SXM app, IPhone with the SXM app and a portable boom box that it slides into if I want to listen at home. I have never listened to Pandora or Sonic Tap.

Some folks have their audio system connected to the DirecTV reciever. I would have to guess there are far fewer people who have an internet connected device setup in their main viewing area just to listen to music. For some, it is a big deal.